Astro, founding member of 'UB40' passes away at 64 after 'short illness'

The founding member of the pop band UB40, Terence Wilson who was popularly known as Astro passed away at the age of 64 following a short illness. The death of the British Vocalist has been confirmed by his current band. Astro had been a member of the reggae-pop band for over 30 years and had departed UB40 in the year 2013 and further started performing in the breakaway group UB40 with Ali Campbell. Astro and Campbell have performed a few shows this year with the new band and were planning a tour in 2022. 

A post from the Ali Campbell and Astro’s official Twitter account reads, “We are absolutely devastated and completely heartbroken to have to tell you that our beloved Astro has today passed away after a very short illness. The world will never be the same without him.” 

With songs like ‘Red Red Wine’ and ‘Can't Help Falling In Love’, the previous, original band broke several records during the early 1980s with their own touch on the British reggae music genre. As per BBC, Astro performed as a lead vocalist on the hit song 'Rat In Mi Kitchen', which peaked at rank 12 in 1987. Further, UB40 has released nearly 39 UK top 40 tracks and 28 top 40 records in all. 

The pop band also had international success, with 'Red Red Wine' reaching number one track in the United States, even with performing in another version, 'Can't Help Falling in Love with You', lasted for seven weeks at the top of the song chartbuster in 1993. 

'We found it harder to write love songs than militant lyrics': Astro told in an Interview

Furthermore, in the month of May, during an interview with the Guardian, Astro described the fact that how, after forming in 1978, the band became a mouthpiece for the frustration of middle-class working people with political and global concerns.   

Further Astro told the Guardian that he went through the "same rigmarole as most black people in the late 70s", pointing to the "sus legislation”, which allowed persons to be detained who seemed to be acting suspiciously in any weak, racial context.  

Citing Astro, the Guardian reported, “It was a weekly occurrence. We found it harder to write love songs than militant lyrics because it was a lot easier to write about stuff you had witnessed or read about. It seemed natural to us.” 

Meanwhile, Brian Travers, the saxophonist and lyricist for UB40, died in August at the age of 62. The reggae band's founder member passed away at his residence in Moseley, Birmingham.  

(Image: Twitter/ @UB40)